MEXICO CITY - Felipe Calderon took the oath of office
as Mexicos president Friday amid jeers and whistles,
in a lightning-fast ceremony before congress that was
preceded by a brawl between lawmakers divided over the
tight presidential election.

Calderon entered through a back door and appeared
suddenly on the speakers platform, which was the site
of three days of fistfights and sit-ins by lawmakers
seeking to control the stage. Physically protected by
dozens of lawmakers and flanked by outgoing President
Vicente Fox, Calderon swore to uphold the constitution
in comments almost inaudible over the noise.

Congress leader ordered the national anthem played,
momentarily stilling the catcalls and shouting, before
Calderon made a quick exit and congress adjourned.
Foreign dignitaries  including former President
George H.W. Bush, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and
Spanish Prince Felipe Asturias  sat in a balcony
overlooking the scene.

He did it! He did it! chanted ruling party
lawmakers.

Former presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador, of the Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD,
claims he was robbed of the presidency and has
declared himself legitimate president. He called on
thousands of supporters in Mexicos main Zocalo plaza
to march peacefully to the National Auditorium, where
Calderon was scheduled to address the nation.

Political chaos
His supporters in Congress had seized entrances to the
congressional chamber Friday morning in an attempt to
block Calderon from taking office. The leftist
lawmakers, who draped a giant banner across the
chamber reading Mexico doesnt deserve a traitor to
democracy as president, exchanged punches with
ruling-party lawmakers and erected barricades of
chairs as Calderon supporters chanted Mexico wants
peace.

Anticipating the standoff, the conservative Calderon
took control of the presidential residence hours
earlier in an unusual midnight ceremony with Fox,
swearing in part of his Cabinet.

That left experts on Mexicos constitution puzzled
over whether Mexico had a president Friday morning.
The constitution requires presidents to be sworn in
before congress, and Fridays brief ceremony in the
congressional chamber appeared to put the technical
debate over Calderons legitimacy to rest.

Bush, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza and
several bodyguards, said the chaos did not bother him.

Im not worried at all. It will work out, he said,
adding: The U.S. will work with him every way we
can.

'Start a new stage'
Calderon, in the midnight ceremony, acknowledged the
political chaos.

I am not unaware of the complexity of the political
times we are living through, nor of our differences,
he said. But I am convinced that today we should put
an end to our disagreements and from there, start a
new stage whose only aim would be to place the
interests of the nation above our differences.

He was expected to address the nation the nation at
the heavily guarded National Auditorium on the other
side of Mexico City. He then planned to go to an
adjacent military parade ground where army commanders
will swear allegiance to the elected head of state,
symbolizing the militarys tradition of staying out of
politics since the 1930s.

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